It's Sad That So Many Christians Consider Themselves "New Testament" Christians

[The Narrow Way]

When Jesus said, ~

"Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me." John 5:29.
​

WHAT were the "Scriptures" He was referring to? Clearly, it had to be the Old Testament as the New Testament was not yet written.

The influence of the Old Testament is seen throughout the New Testament. The New Testament writers included approximately 250 express Old Testament quotations, and if one includes indirect or partial quotations, the number jumps to more than 1,000. It is clear that the writers of the New Testament were concerned with demonstrating the continuity between the Old Testament Scriptures and the faith they proclaimed. They were convinced that in Jesus the Old Testament promises had been fulfilled. Old Testament Quotations in the New Testament - Holman Bible Dictionary -
​

Instead of being NEW TESTAMENT CHRISTIANS, we should just be BIBLE Christians The same God inspired both the Old and the New Testament .

 

[rocknanchor]

Instead of being NEW TESTAMENT CHRISTIANS, we should just be BIBLE Christians The same God inspired both the Old and the New Testament .

Good provocation of holy thought. The "press" is not heresy.

 

[public hermit]

If the scriptures testify to Christ and eternal life is in him, then it seems we should be followers of Christ. The scriptures are a means to an end and Christ is that end. To treat the scriptures as an end in themselves is idolatry. Idolatry is sad.

 

[Pavel Mosko]

WHAT were the "Scriptures" He was referring to? Clearly, it had to be the Old Testament as the New Testament was not yet written.

I've harped on this thing before too, but often in the importance of the Deuterocanonical books in understanding the New Testament, they are quoted, alluded to and cited many times in the New Testament.

Deuterocanonical Books Quoted In New Testament


I actually think a lot of this comes from certain Evangelical ideas and attitudes that are very reductionist. Some folks do this deliberately because the main message they want to preach on is in the red letter areas of the Gospel etc. but the way they hand the scriptures actually is reminiscent of the way the Gnostics and Manicheans treated the Old Testament. Those groups tended to eschew the Old Testament believing they were inspired by another god, and instead focused purely on the New Testament that came from the true God rather than the wrathful Demiurge. But anyway it often is sheer laziness when preachers actually get in the habit of avoiding the OT and focusing purely on the NT.


Besides all this, the Old Testament is what the ancient church used and preached from in the first few centuries. You were expected to be able to show the need for Christ, the foreshadowing of Christ and other New Testament doctrines solely by preaching from it in the first few centuries, since it was the only canon that existed and was widely distributed.

 

[bekkilyn]

There is so much in the New Testament that probably would never be understood if it were not for the Old Testament.

 

[rocknanchor]

I actually think a lot of this comes from certain Protestant ideas and attitudes that are very reductionist.

News to me. From the seventies to the present, I have yet to experience the faintest glimmer of such. If you don't mind me saying, you may want to scale back on that.

 

[SabbathBlessings]

If the scriptures testify to Christ and eternal life is in him, then it seems we should be followers of Christ. The scriptures are a means to an end and Christ is that end. To treat the scriptures as an end in themselves is idolatry. Idolatry is sad.

Jesus is the Word and His Word is the manual on how we are to live, so we can be ready when Jesus comes! When we deviate from the Word and start following our own path instead of the path given by Jesus, its too easy to get on the wrong path without even knowing it.

God bless.

2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,

 

[Pavel Mosko]

News to me. From the seventies to the present, I have yet to experience the faintest glimmer of such. If you don't mind me saying, you may want to scale back on that.

Sorry buddy, but I've seen it and seen others also talk about the same thing. I do realize I should change the word's Protestant to Evangelical in the above statement.


"Many would say that the Old Testament is hard to understand. That it is confusing and in many cases troubling because of the violence held within the text. Many believers and some pastors say that the Old Testament is not relevant and should be unhinged from the rest of the Bible."

Is the Old Testament Relevant Today


Why do pastors still preach teach and insist on Old Testament laws when the same stand cancelled in the New Testament? – Evidence for Christianity

 

[rocknanchor]

Sorry buddy, but I've seen it and seen other also talk about the same thing. I do realize I should change the word's Protestant to Evangelical in the above statement.

Again, if there are evangl / protestant connections fomenting this, it would fly without feeling the heat of NT corrections themselves commenting on OT worth.

 

[Pavel Mosko]

Again, if there are evangl / protestant connections fomenting this, it would fly without feeling the heat of NT corrections themselves commenting on OT worth.

ok but I disagree based on experience. It is easy to be reductionist and to be overly so. Many people have a utilitarian view of the Bible where that comes to play. I've seen this in other areas like the philosophy of worship when it comes to explaining "why you do what you do". I'm talking about things like "Purpose Driven" and/or "Seeker sensitive" paradigm etc. (contrasted to something traditional or more theological in outlook).

 

[rocknanchor]

it would fly without feeling the heat

, , sorry, it 'wouldn't fly'.

 

[public hermit]

Jesus is the Word and His Word is the manual on how we are to live, so we can be ready when Jesus comes! When we deviate from the Word and start following our own path instead of the path given by Jesus, its too easy to get on the wrong path without even knowing it.

God bless.

2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,

Jesus is the Word incarnate. The scriptures are the written word that point to him. They are not identical. The word written cannot save us, but the Word incarnate can. The written word did not die for us, but the Word incarnate did. Perhaps it seems strange to differentiate between the scriptures about Christ and Christ himself, but it is a real difference and one that we ignore to our peril. Someone can be saved without knowing the scriptures, as myriads of Christians in the last two thousand years could not read. The scriptures have their place and their authority, but only because the living Christ reigns. Obviously, it is possible to search and know the scriptures and not be in Christ.

‘You search the scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that testify on my behalf. Yet you refuse to come to me to have life." John 5:39-40

 

[SabbathBlessings]

Jesus is the Word incarnate. The scriptures are the written word that point to him. They are not identical. The word written cannot save us, but the Word incarnate can. The written word did not die for us, but the Word incarnate did. Perhaps it seems strange to differentiate between the scriptures about Christ and Christ himself, but it is a real difference and one that we ignore to our peril. Someone can be saved without knowing the scriptures, as myriads of Christians in the last two thousand years could not read. The scriptures have their place and their authority, but only because the living Christ reigns.

‘You search the scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that testify on my behalf. Yet you refuse to come to me to have life." John 5:39-40

Are you saying the scriptures do not lead us to Christ?

 

[public hermit]

Are you saying the scriptures do not lead us to Christ?

I'm saying the scriptures can give us a working knowledge of Christ. The scriptures are not sufficient, in themselves, to lead us to Christ. The Holy Spirit uses the scriptures as a means to lead is to Christ. As I said above, the scriptures are a means, but not an end in themselves.

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

Instead of being NEW TESTAMENT CHRISTIANS, we should just be BIBLE Christians The same God inspired both the Old and the New Testament .

Does that mean you think we should also follow Jewish law as emphasized in the 'Old Testament".?

 

[SabbathBlessings]

I'm saying the scriptures can give us a working knowledge of Christ. The scriptures are not sufficient, in themselves, to lead us to Christ. The Holy Spirit uses the scriptures as a means to lead is to Christ. As I said, they are a means, but not an end in themselves.

The Holy Spirit speaks through the scriptures as it is God’s Word. The scriptures are sufficient in themself because it is God’s Word. The danger is going outside of God’s Word and being led “by the spirit” that goes against God’s written Word. That why Jesus said “it is written” often in His teachings.

 

[public hermit]

The Holy Spirit speaks through the scriptures as it is God’s Word. The scriptures are sufficient in themself because it is God’s Word. The danger is going outside of God’s Word and being led “by the spirit” that goes against God’s written Word. That why Jesus said “it is written” often in His teachings.

So, which is the command of our Lord: have mercy and forgive or have no mercy and take an eye for an eye, tooth for tooth, life for life? Both are found in the scriptures. If you should obey the scriptures, do you do both, have mercy and have no mercy?

"Show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot." Deuteronomy 19:21

Hint: Matthew 5:38-39

Of course, if the Spirit is in us, we know to "have no mercy" is off the table for us.

 

[chevyontheriver]

When Jesus said, ~

"Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me." John 5:29.
​

WHAT were the "Scriptures" He was referring to? Clearly, it had to be the Old Testament as the New Testament was not yet written.

The influence of the Old Testament is seen throughout the New Testament. The New Testament writers included approximately 250 express Old Testament quotations, and if one includes indirect or partial quotations, the number jumps to more than 1,000. It is clear that the writers of the New Testament were concerned with demonstrating the continuity between the Old Testament Scriptures and the faith they proclaimed. They were convinced that in Jesus the Old Testament promises had been fulfilled. Old Testament Quotations in the New Testament - Holman Bible Dictionary -
​

Instead of being NEW TESTAMENT CHRISTIANS, we should just be BIBLE Christians The same God inspired both the Old and the New Testament .

View attachment 314330​

The first ‘New Testament Christian’ was Marcion, and he even ended up rejecting most of the New Testament. And he was a flaming heretic to boot. He did push the Church to have to define the canon. People tend to remove books they don’t particularly like from the Bible, or chapters, or sentences, or phrases, or words. The Church has told us we have a complete Bible to contend with. But we have Christians that cannot abide what they personally don’t look like.

 

[Maria Billingsley]

When Jesus said, ~

"Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me." John 5:29.
​

WHAT were the "Scriptures" He was referring to? Clearly, it had to be the Old Testament as the New Testament was not yet written.

The influence of the Old Testament is seen throughout the New Testament. The New Testament writers included approximately 250 express Old Testament quotations, and if one includes indirect or partial quotations, the number jumps to more than 1,000. It is clear that the writers of the New Testament were concerned with demonstrating the continuity between the Old Testament Scriptures and the faith they proclaimed. They were convinced that in Jesus the Old Testament promises had been fulfilled. Old Testament Quotations in the New Testament - Holman Bible Dictionary -
​

Instead of being NEW TESTAMENT CHRISTIANS, we should just be BIBLE Christians The same God inspired both the Old and the New Testament .

View attachment 314330​

Honestly I have never heard of a New Testament Christian. All Christians I know value both old and new. The Old lays out hundreds of prophesies of the comming Lord and Savior and the New is the fulfillment. One can not be without the other. The unfolding of God's plan for humanity is laid out perfectly in both.
Blessings.

 

[SabbathBlessings]

So, which is the command of our Lord: have mercy and forgive or have no mercy and take an eye for an eye, tooth for tooth, life for life? Both are found in the scriptures. If you should obey the scriptures, do you do both, have mercy and have no mercy?

"Show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot." Deuteronomy 19:21

Hint: Matthew 5:38-39

Of course, if the Spirit is in us, we know to "have no mercy" is off the table for us.

I think you are proving my point. God’s Word answers God’s Word and there are no contradictions in God’s Word, just misunderstandings.

Which is why Jesus always taught through the scriptures and referred us back “it is written”. God bless.